Bottle closure



June 7, 1932. A. H. WARTH 1,861,589

BOTTLE CLOSURE Filed April 12, 1928 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIL-BIN H. WARTH, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO CROWN CORK & SEAL COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK BOTTLE CLOSURE Application filed April 12, 1928. Serial No. 269,430.

My invention relates to bottle closures, and more particularly to a type of closure havingan annular sealing gasket adjacent the skirt of a metallic shell, and to the character of the gasket and the mode of applying it to m containers,

the shell.

Closures of the type to which my invention relates have a wide range of utility in connection with bottles, jars, glasses and other and consist of a skirted metallic shell so formed as to facilitate the securing of the closure to, while forming a gas and liquid tight seal about the opening of, the container closed by the closure. The means for securing an air and liquid tight joint with closures of the general type to which the invention relates, has had wide variance, according to the character of the closure, of the container and of the contents of the latter, including natural and composition cork cushion disks, disks of composite construction, treated paper disks and annular gaskets of various materials including vulcanized rubber, the disks and gaskets being retained in position by means of cement, frictional engagement between the edges thereof and the skirts of the shell, or as a result of the mounting of the shell upon the container.

The diiiiculty with many closures of the type above referred to has been not only the expense and difficulties of assembling, but likelihood of the contents of a container acquiring the characteristic taste of the material forming the disk or gasket, or of such contents attacking the binding medium between the disk or gasket and the shell so as to break the bond between the shell and the gasket and permit the seepage of air or gases from or into the container between the shell and the gasket with a resultant deterioration of its contents.

'It is desired to emphasize that in closures of the general type to which my invention relates, the facility of production of same is of importance equal to the minimizing of the other conditions above referred to, since such closures must be produced in large quantities and at low cost to justify their commercial use.

In the various closures above referred to,

the universal practice has been to secure a pre-formed disk or gasket in a pre-formed metallic shell."

My present invention has to do only with that type of closure in which the packing or sealing medium is positioned adjacent the skirt of a. metallic shell, the portion of the closure with which the contents of the container contact being unprotected by the packing or cushioning medium so as to avoid possible absorption by such contents of the characteristic taste of the cushioning or sealing medium. In fact, the construction of the closure is such as to reduce to a minimum likelihood of the contact of the contents of a container with the material of the gasket, and to have the gasket so located that seepage of liquids or gases between the gasket and the metallic shell is practically impossible because of the location of the material form'- ing this gasket and of its inherent characteristics of semi-resiliency and semi-plasticity, which will be more fully referred to hereinafter.

As heretofore stated, the common practice has been to use pro-formed gaskets and cement them to the metallic shell. By the method of my invention, closures may be produced in which gaskets of substantially uniform dimensions and bulk may be formed directly in the metallic shell and be self-adherent thereto, thus not only ensuring uniformity in the product, but facilitating the production of closures.

The invention consists in a bottle closure embodying the novel characteristics and the novel steps, hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a conventional showing of the method of my invention with parts thereof shown in cross section; f

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of a completed cap made by the process illustrated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views. 7

In producing closures embodying the invention, I use a pipe-formed metallic shell a provided with a s rt 6, which in the form of the invention shown, is of the usual flared, fluted type commonly found in crown seals. The provision made for securing the closure in position upon a container, however, is immaterial to the invention and may take any of the various forms now commonly in use for so securing metallic shells in relation to the neck of a container.

In applying the gasket, which, for convenience will be called an edge gasket or one ositioned only adjacent the skirt, I rotate t 's shell about a vertical axis and deliver or pour ad'acent the skirt thereof and in a viscous orm, a compound containing latex and a suitable filler such as bentonite. Of course the higher the speed of rotation of the shell, the more rapid will be the production of the closures. The semi-fluidity of the latex mass will cause it to spread and seek a level, thus ensuring uniformity in the dimensions of the gasket formed thereby as determined by the capacity of the nozzle through which it is delivered to within the shell.

In actual practice is has been found desirable to maintain the desired fluidity of the latex compound by applying heat to the container, of which the nozzle forms an outet.

In the drawing, a, the nozzle at d nozzle at e, trolling the ing the container is shown at and a valve controlling the this valve being used for conduration of the flow. The heat: means is shown at f. The container is y shown as being a closed container having an v Q "airline g communicating therewith strong adherence of the gasket in its so as to permit the application of suflicientpressure to the contents of the container to ensure a smooth, uniform flow of the compound. High pressure is not required, however. Any desired form of nozzle having the desired capacity may be employed, it being unnecessary, by reason of the fluidity or viscosity of t e compound, to deliver it in ribbon form.

The inherent adhesiveness of the latex content of the compound will cause a fairly entirety to the shell so that the use of cements is dispensed with, thus not only effecting a saving of time but of materials.

In order to define the maximum width of the gasket, the shell is referably provided with an inwardly formed central portion indicated at h, spaced from the skirt a distance approximating the desired width of the asket which, in its ket, the annular trough adjacent the s 'rt thus formed not only serving to confine the com ound during the formation of the gasket, ut permitting the formation of a gasentirety, will be above the plane of the central inner face of the closure so that distortion of the material of the gasket when applying it to a container will form an effective seal at the bottom and at both sides of the channel at the same time avoiding contact of the edge of the gasket with the contents of the container. his condition of use not onl prevents the possible escape of liquidsan and the shell, but avoids destruction of the bond between the gasket and the shell, or any substantial contact of the contents of the container with the asket.

.The shell, imme ately upon the completion of the pouring olperation, may be removed from adjacent t e to rest at normal temperatures until the compound has set or cured. If desired, a gentle heat may be applied to accelerate the drying operation, high temperatures, however, being unnecessary since the compound contains no vulcanizing agent and the setting operation is largely a matter of siccation.

The result is a gasket which is slightly resilient and slightly acteristics will aid materially in securing an effective 'oint when the closure is applied to a contalner, since the material of the gasket will readily conform to the neck of the container but will be distorted as a result of the application of pressure so as to completely fill the channel and closely hug the side walls thereof.

By so proportioning the width of the gasket as to cause the central depressed portion of the shell to occupy substantially the entire space within the .neckvof the bottle, and to have the neck of the bottle contact with sub stantially the entire area of the width of the gasket, there can be no deterioration of the gasket while the closure is upon the container.

As a result of the hereinbefore described method of manufacture, I am enabled to rapidly produce bottle closures which embody gases between the gasket nozzle and allowed plastic, which two char-- provided with means as flutes z for securing the closure in position upon a container. Adjacent the skirt is an annular asket j of semi-elastic, semi-plastic, non-a sorbent material, a compound of latex and a filler. This gasket is also impervious to gases and cannot be attacked by acids ordinarily found in the substances packed in containers with which'the closures are used. It is of substantially uniform width and thickness affording a smooth level surface of contact with the neck of the container.

The gasket j is so located as to reduce to a minimum an area of possible contact with the contents of the container, since the major portion thereof, when the closure is in use, will be positioned beyond the pouring lip of the container.

While the material of the gasket. has little or no compressibility, its semi-plasticity will permit it to readil conform to the contour of the portion 0 the container with which it contacts upon the application of but little pressure as compared with the presentirety 'may be so positioned as to make sure developed in an ordinary capping mathe area of contact between the gasket and chine, the flexibility of the material assisting the contents of the container negligible. in securing a desired tight joint between the It is not my intention to limit myself to 5 neck of the container and the gasket. the particular compound herein specified, 7 The presence of the depressed central porsince the use of fillers other than that specition of the shell it avoids excessive distortion fied may be resorted to if desired, nor is it of the gasket and afiords a contacting area m intention to limit myself to the specific debetween the inner edge thereof and the contails of construction of the cap as a whole,

10 tents of a bottle, which is negligible. Furas shown in the drawing, particularly as the thermore, the sides of this channel afi'ord size and form of the shell is subject to wide very efiective acking areas co-operat ng variation, with the edges 0 the gasket which minimizes Having described the invention, what I likelihood of seepage of the liquid or gases claim as new and desire to have protected by 5 within the container between the gasket and Letters Patent, is the metallic shell. 1. A closure of the type herein referred to,

Closures of the invention are particularly con i ting of a kirted talli h ll h vi g applicable to wide mouthed jars contain ng adjacent the skirt thereof an annular gasket various kinds of foodstuffs, in connection f d f a i-r ili nt, and ila tic 20 with which it is highly desirable to provide compound composed of latex and a filler, said I a closure sufficiently tight to exclude atmosga k t b ing lf-adh r nt to th metal of th pheric air from the container. shell and having sufficient thickness to per- Closures used W h Wlde mouthed 1 are mit it to conform to irregularities in the surcommonly provided with securing means conf f th k f a b ttl jar, 5 sisting of interrupted screw threads or an 2, A closure f th t h i f d t elongated skirt ada ed to b 19 under consisting of a skirted metallic shell havin the lip of the bottle or securingthe closures an l h l b t th dg th in position thereon, and it is obyiousthat the tihi hi h i k t f d f ifluted skirt shown in the drawings is thereili nt and semi-plastic compound com- 30 {Ore not rlal 0 the invention. posed of latex and a filler, said gasket bein The use of la x r 1 the fihlshed self-adherent to the metal of the shell an P i an of the edvehteges of ljllhhel having suiiicient thickness to permit it to con- Chldlhg its HOTI-ehSOI'PtIVe, eeld leslsteht e form to irregularities in the surface of the resilient properties. By using the same withk f b ttl or j 35 out the employment of vulcanizing, agents, 3. A closure of the type herein referred to, me

I not only avoid t ps of m g and consisting of a skirted metallic shell having vulcanizing 1n the PIQdllCtlOIl the gaskets, a, depressed central portion forming an annubut preserve the native adhesiveness of the l h l b t th d th f, withi latex to an extent t0 Secure a firm h g of which is a gasket formed of a semi-resilient 40 the gasket t0 the Shell f h ev01d h and semi-plastic compound composed of latex necessity of the use of adhesives with the incid a fill id k t b i lfl dh t dental E 0f pph t0 the Shellto the metal of the shell and having sufiicient y 115mg e Plastlc finer, I em enabled to thickness to permit it to conform to irregularhet y secure -Pl eehdhieh i the ities in the surface of the neck of a bottle or 45 gasket by reducing the inherent elasticity of j he jll h h Content of the e but avoid 4. A closure of the type herein referred stickinessin the gasket of the finished produc to, consisting of a skirted metallic shell havsm e du i g the fi Stage 111 h p q 1h ing an annular channel about the edge therepa g flfom 71560115 to e p e State, of, within which is a gasket formed of a semi- 50 the adhesiveness of the compound disappears, ili t d il ti compound 115 elthehgh e hehehhg the gasket the posed of latex and a filler, said gasket being shell is 11 1 lll e Wlthself-adherent to the metal of the shell and While the hatch e compound e having suflicient thickness to permit it to cone t y e L PR P h e lhelhtelhs form to irregularities in the surface of the 55 It 111 a Viscous eohdltleh Permlttlhg H h neck of a bottle or jar, the contacting area fr y pg the nozzle, and y dlfi'uslen, of said gasket being below the top of the spread until the upper surface thereof finds h L i W level before the y g P Stage In witness whereofIhave hereunto afiixed causes the setting of the composition. The my i tur this 3rd day of April, 1928. 60 tackiness at this stage of the method results ALBIN 1-1 W ART'I L in the desired formation of a bond between the gasket and the shell.

By deliverin a; volume of the compound of latex and ler insufiicient to completely 65 fill the channel in the shell, the gasket in its 

